


To The Victors The Spoils

by AwayLaughing



Series: All The Days That Have Passed [4]
Category: Naruto
Genre: 30 Day OTP Challenge, Boys Kissing, Developing Relationship, Drinking, Drunk Ninja Stunts, First Kiss, M/M, Swearing
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-06-27
Updated: 2014-06-27
Packaged: 2018-02-06 10:20:35
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,094
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1854496
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AwayLaughing/pseuds/AwayLaughing
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Shikamaru should know better than to go drinking with Kiba and Naruto. It saddens him that a drunken senbon tossing competition is one of the least stupid things he's been convinced to do. At the very least the outcome was better than he was imagining.</p>
            </blockquote>





	To The Victors The Spoils

**Author's Note:**

> Challenge from [here](http://awayandlaughing.tumblr.com/post/68217772129/30-day-otp-challenge-for-the-fluff-impaired)
> 
> Day 4 - Competition

The heat of bodies pressed together mingled with the smell of the same, and of alcohol. The doors to the place were open, as were the windows, but all the same the bar remained hot and crowded. Shikamaru sat at the edge of the bench, listening to the chatter of the people around them. Civilians and shinobi lingered together, cajoling and flirting. Shikamaru tuned them out, focusing on the thigh pressed against him, or rather focusing on ignoring it.

 

It wasn't that hard, really.

 

“No fucking way, Naruto. You're full of shit,” Kiba yelled over the din, pointing at Naruto and sloshing his shot glass. “You fucking can't – you'll kill one of the civs.”

 

“I'm a fucking sage,” Naruto yelled back, standing despite Sakura's attempts to control him, “I don't kill anyone I don't mean to.”

 

“Sit down,” Sakura said, yanking him back. “And don't you dare. You're drunk.”

 

“No – Kiba's drunk,” Naruto said, “I'm not.”

 

Kiba snorted, but a smack to the back of the head from Ino had him hunkering down. “I could easily hit that target, eyes closed,” Kiba grumbled. “We all could – Neji's boring and definitely sober let him prove it.”

 

“No,” was Neji's reply, and Shikamaru snorted into his cup. “I will not be dragged into your idiocy, Inuzuka.”

 

“I'm surprised you're even here,” Shikamaru said, voice pitched low enough the others couldn't hear them above everything else happening.

 

“Better than playing dodge-the- nakōdo,” he said, offering Shikamaru a grin which made Shikamaru's stomach knot.

 

“Stop flirting with Shikamaru,” Naruto said, throwing himself over Neji's shoulder, “and throw a fucking senbon at that dot in the wood. Eyes closed. For the village's honour.”

 

“We won a war, Naruto,” Shikamaru said, watching as Neji tried to dislodge Naruto without pushing him onto the table. “I'm pretty sure the village's honour is safe for at least however long it takes you to sober up and smarten up.”

 

“You'll be waiting a long time, for that second one,” Neji said, watching Kiba try and balance his shot glass on his nose. “A very long time.”

 

“Fuck you,” said Kiba, managing not to spill his drink. “You're too much of a pansy to even throw a senbon. I don't need to-to listen to your,” the glass dropped, Ino catching it. “Your shit.”

 

“Don't listen to him,” Naruto said, “he's just nervous because he knows Shikamaru would win.”

 

The table went quiet.

 

“You know it's true, Shikamaru's better at senbon than Neji is.” Shikamaru immediately looked to the larger area, trying to calculate if he could get out the door before Naruto realized what he'd stumble on. Namely, Neji's ego.

 

“He is not.”

 

Fuck.

 

“Sure he is,” Naruto said, “he's got this trick with three of 'em, it's cool.”

 

“My aim is perfect,” Neji said, and Shikamaru groaned, ignoring Ino's snicker. If Naruto was still unaware he'd hit jackpot for his idea – Kiba was not. His golden eyes were focused on Shikamaru, gleefully twinling.

 

“When you've got your byakugan activated, maybe. We're talkin' blind here.”

 

“I hate you,” Shikamaru said. To Neji he added, “Naruto's talking shit.”

 

Neji cocked an eyebrow, unplacated. “So you're not good with senbon, is what you're saying?”

 

“No it's not-”

 

“He's definitely better than you are, I hear it's practically a second technique for the Naras.”

 

“Oh gods above shut up,” Shikamaru said.

 

“Well it's not good lying,” Ino said, much to his horror. “You've been training with them since before kunai, after all.”

 

“It's useless Naruto,' Kiba said, “Shikamaru's too lazy and Neji won't risk losing in public.”

 

“I won't lose,” Neji said, and Shikamaru let his head fall to the table. He didn't doubt he could hit the knot they were talking about, even with his eyes closed. He just didn't want to. He'd been trying to limit his exposure to Neji, group events always, and always as low-key as possible. No elevated pulses or tempers.

 

Throwing senbon blind in a crowd was definitely going to elevate pulses.

 

“I really am lazy,” Shikamaru agreed, looking up. “In fact I forfeit all ready. Neji wins. Yay.” He went to stand, only for a hand to grab on to his wrist. He followed the pale hand, scars on the back just like every shinobi, up to Neji's face and tried not to blush. “I'll buy you a celebration round,” he offered.

 

“No.” Neji stood with him, and Kiba let out a whoop, pushing past Ino to stumble into the crowd.

 

“Kiba don-”

 

“Listen up everyone!” everyone did in deed listen up. “You're gonna want to clear a space because we've got to settle a bet. Behind me you'll see a Nara – Shikamaru take a bow -”

 

“Oh fuck off Kiba.” Several people laughed, and Shikamaru didn't need to be able to see to know he was winking.

 

“He's always like that,” he said to the crowd. “With him – is a Hyūga. His name is Neji and he definitely won't take a bow -”  
  


“Not to you, certainly.”

 

“-see he's fucking sunshine and daisies.” More laughter. Kiba could certainly work a crowd, even the bartender was smiling, nudging her coworker to get his attention. “Anyway – you guys may not know this but there's a pretty ancient feud between these two clans.”

 

“Bullshit!” someone in the crowd yelled, and a few people turned to reveal one of Ino's cousins – Yamanaka Ichida.

 

“And what would a Yamanaka know?” Kiba called to the blond man, earning more laughter, including from the man himself. “So ancient feud, the usual stuff you know – runaways in love families blaming each other. All very messy – but today we're going to end that. If the pretty green haired girl would turn around,” the girl, obviously a chūnin, did so, “and point to the big ol' knot in the wall behind her,” she pointed, “that's gonna end this feud for us.”

 

“How, is Senju Hashirama living it up in there, dreaming up a new kingdom?” she asked, leaning against the wall, but leaving the knot visible.

 

“Nope. Senbon throwing!” With a flourish, Kiba drew out two senbon from his front pocket. “One try each, eyes closed.”

 

“And so what happens when one wins. Hyūga has to admit their runaway is at fault?” Ichida asked. Neji, next to Shikamaru, snorted.

 

“Regretting your ego yet, Neji?” Shikamaru asked.

 

“Oh shut up,” was the grumbled reply. Daring a quick look showed Shikamaru that Neji looked like a storm cloud personified. The Naruto jumped up, pushing past the two.

 

“Nah man,” Naruto said, “we're promoting love here. We don't want to make anything worse. That's why, loser just has to give the winner a kiss.”

 

Oh fuck no.

 

“Naru-” Neji stopped him with a hand to the wrist once again.

 

“Don't make it worse,” he said, “we can use my victory round to drink ourselves blind afterward.”

 

“Your victory round?” Shikamaru asked, “you sure you're as sober as they thought?” Neji just threw him a smirk before Kiba spun around offering them the two senbon.

 

“Who goes first?” a very familiar voice asked. “The genius or the pretty boy battering ram?”

 

“Shikamaru has much more finesse than a battering ram, Anko-san,” Neji said, plucking the left hand senbon from Kiba. A few people, presumably startled by the joke, gave some nervous giggles. “I'll go first. I am older, after all.” He handed the other senbon to Shikamaru, who took it as sullenly as he could manage.

 

“Oh yes senpai,” Naruto said. “You heard it – the old man is going first.” Anko cackled, shoving past the crowd to come stand beside them, her hitai-ate in one hand.

 

“I'm offering my most prized possession as the blind fold,” she said, Ino scrambled to her feet, unhooking her own hitai-ate and pressing it into Shikamaru's hands.

 

“Get him tiger,” she said, bumping their hips together.

 

“I hate everyone,” was all he could bring himself to say. Neji was being blind folded by Naruto, who was loudly reminding him that using the Byakugan was definitely cheating. Neji was in turn reminding Naruto that unlike the blond, he was not a certified moron. “What did I do to deserve this?” he asked her, and she smiled.

 

“They're just trying to help,” she said. “You're no fun anymore, you get skittish as one of your deer around Neji these days.”

 

“I do not,” Shikamaru said, watching as, at Anko's prompting, Kiba spun Neji in a circle a few times. “We're fine.”

 

“No you'll be fine if you two just talk or kiss or cuddle or whatever it is guys do,” she said. “Seeing you all tense and fidgety was fun at first, but now it's painful. Neji's gone back to playing marble statue, and it's a downer on everyone,” she tugged his ponytail lightly. “Also it's your turn.”

 

Neji had hit practically dead centre of the knot, leaving only maybe a millimetre for Shikamaru to win. It had been helpfully pointed out with a bright red spot, presumably using the green haired chūnin's red lipstick.

 

“You're in trouble Nara,” Anko said, swaggering over. “Pretty boy's damn good.” Neji, Anko's hitai-ate loose around his neck, smirked, eyes locking with Shikamaru's.

 

“I hope your tab is able to take a hit,” he said, Shikamaru just scoffed, trying not to picture being forced to kiss Neji in front of all these people.

 

“Better than your ego,” Shikamaru said as the hitai-ate was slipped over his eyes. It took some Jury-rigging, but they managed within a moment. Familiar hands landed on his shoulders.,He felt like an idiot, and Naruto snickering in his ear didn't help.

 

“Perk up,” the other man said, “this can't go wrong! Everyone near the knot is a shinobi so if you fuck up to bad they'll dodge, and either way you get a kiss!”

 

“I've all ready thought up 10 reports you've written in the last five months that need rewriting.”

 

“Not cool,” was the wounded reply, “way to stab the feeding hand.”

 

“Bite,” Shikamaru corrected as Naruto started to spin him. It honestly wasn't as disorienting as it likely seemed to some of the onlookers. He knew he was going to end up facing the knot, could feel when he was facing the closest window. Three spins later he was stopped. He took a calming breath.

 

The senbon was the usual make, but high quality. The centre was exactly where you'd expect it to be, unlike his preferred needles. Double-ended, definitely live, it was a good weapon. His fingers formed the familiar motion, and within a second breath his feet shifted and the shiruken flew.

 

It hit the wall with a very definitive thump and a collective gasp from the audience.

 

“That bad?” he joked as he pulled down the hitai-ate.

 

Anko laughed and Naruto gave a sheepish chuckle. “Not exactly,” the blond said. Shikamaru blinked once to clear his vision before let out a bark of laughter.

 

“A tie?” Ino was obviously outraged, her jaw loose, eyes wide but brows drawn down.

 

“Looks like it,” the green haired chūnin said. “Dead even, I'd say.” The crowd erupted, people jostling and yelling at one another. Kiba, Naruto and Ino all pushed forward, pointing and arguing with each other and those around them. Anko, after getting her hitai-ate back, just returned to the bar, laughing loudly the whole time.

 

Shikamaru took the time to slip out, leaving Ino's headband at her spot on the table, along with Kiba's senbon. Outside was cooler and quieter, and he let out a sign, closing his eyes and letting his head fall back. He could hear people passing the back alley he was in, but no one came in. The door opened after only a moment.

 

“So, they decide a winner?” he asked, Neji gave a small chuckle.

 

“It's a heated debate,” he said, “Naruto keeps changing his mind.” Shikamaru laughed, still keeping his eyes closed. He could tell Neji was close, very close, but the alley wasn't very wide.

 

“Do you plan on taking advantage of my tab, then?”

 

“Not your tab, no,” Neji said. There was a tinge to his words that had Shikamaru opening his eyes, just in time to see Neji finish closing the distance for a kiss.

 

For a moment he couldn't think, couldn't move, couldn't hear. There was nothing except Neji's lips on his, Neji's hands on his jaw. It was a passing paralysis, however, and he brought his own hands up to Neji's shoulders, eyes falling back as he enjoyed the gentle pressure. They parted far too quickly, and he grinned slowly.

 

“So I won after all?”

 

**Author's Note:**

> Oooh doggy, Shikamaru is tough to write. Neji's much easier for me, but I think I did okay. Hopefully.


End file.
